Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where can I get a copy of a police report?
If the incident has already been reported, please fill out a Public Records Request.  Submit the completed form to the Kalama Police Department - Records Clerk.  If the incident has not been reported and is NOT an emergency, call us at 360-673-2165 or 360-577-3090.

Accident Reports can be obtained online by going to the Washington State Patrol Electronic Collisions Records Site.

Where can I report a lost or found dog or to report an animal complaint?
If the incident occurred within the City Limits of Kalama, contact the Kalama Police Department at 360-673-2165 or 360-762-6800.  For those outside the City Limits, contact non-emergency dispatch at 360-762-6800.

The Kalama Police Department is responsible for Animal Control services within the City Limits of Kalama.  The Kalama Police Department does NOT collect or house found or stray cats.

When can I display fireworks in the city of Kalama?
Fireworks may only be discharged within the city of Kalama from noon until eleven p.m. on June 28th and between the hours of nine a.m. and eleven p.m. for the period of June 29th through July 4th; and between the hours of nine a.m. and nine p.m. on July 5th; and between the hours of six p.m. on December 31st until one a.m. on January 1st.  (KMC 9.16.030)

Is there a youth curfew in Kalama?
No.  The court system has frequently struck down youth curfew ordinances in Washington.  Therefore, they have become nearly unenforceable.  However, law enforcement officers may contact juveniles as a part of community care taking to ensure their welfare or if they have reasonable suspicion a law has been broken.

My neighbor's property is cluttered with garbage and they won't cut their grass?  Who do I report this to?
Public nuisance complaints are handled by the City of Kalama Building and Planning Department.  Call their office at 360-673-5211.

I went to the Police Department, but the door was locked and nobody answered the phone?  How do I get a hold of an officer?
Our on duty officers are in and out of the office in the field.  If you cannot reach an officer in person or on our business telephone line, please follow the menu prompt when you reach the voice mail to be transferred to the Communications Center.  You can also call 360-577-3090 to request an officer contact you.

Does the Police Department have their own jail?
No.  We contract with the Cowlitz County Jail.  All inmates are housed at the Cowlitz County Jail in Longview, across the street from the Hall of Justice.

Does the Police Department have their own dispatch center?
No.  We contract with Cowlitz County 911.  They answer the emergency and non-emergency telephone lines for the Kalama Police Department.

I was issued a ticket.  Where do I pay it?
We contract with Cowlitz County District Court.  District Court is located on the second floor of the Hall of Justice in Kelso, Washington.  If you have questions about a ticket or court date, contact District Court at 360-577-3073.

Is it legal to discharge a firearm in the City Limits of Kalama?
Discharge of firearms itself is not completely illegal in the City Limits.  According to KMC 9.09.010, it is unlawful within the city for any person to discharge any firearm within three hundred feet of any residence, barn, garage, or outbuilding, or where there is reasonable likelihood of injury to humans, domestic animals or property, except upon a rifle or pistol firing range which has been issued a business license by the city for such purpose, provided that this prohibition does not apply to the discharge of firearms by law enforcement officers engaged in the performance of their official powers of duties.